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5 best wine bars in Bangkok offering rich and quality wine
It’s wine o’clock! Whether you’re all about fruity reds, sweet whites, or funky naturals, Bangkok has many great spots to sip your favourite varieties. But with an array of options to choose from, and the constant rise and fall of...
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Anti-graft agency probing rice deals, links to ministers
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Anti-graft agency probing rice deals, links to ministers The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The National Anti-Corruption Commission sub-panel is deeply probing alleged irregularities in the rice-pledging scheme’s financial transactions to identify possible nominees linked to five former ministers under investigation, NACC deputy secretary-general Warawit Sukboon…
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Thousands flee Gaza after Israeli warning
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Thousands of Gaza civilians flee after Israeli warning Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Thousands fled their homes in a Gaza town on Sunday after Israel warned them to leave ahead of threatened attacks on rocket-launching sites, on the sixth day of an offensive that Palestinian officials…
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Taekwondo star: ‘My coach hit me’
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Taekwondo star: ‘My coach hit me’ The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: The Taekwondo Association of Thailand will launch an investigation into national coach Chai Young Seok after his charge – Asian Championship bronze medallist Rungrawee Kurasa – alleged he physically assaulted her. The 23-year-old taekwondo…
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Germany’s strength in depth delivers ultimate prize
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Germany’s strength in depth delivers ultimate prize Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Germany’s impressive strength in depth proved the decisive factor in their 1-0 extra-time World Cup final victory over Argentina on Sunday as Lionel Messi failed to deliver the golden touch for the South Americans.…
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Phuket police hunt human smugglers after rescuing debt-trapped Burmese fishermen
PHUKET: Fast action by the Phuket Marine Police freed two Myanmar nationals who were trapped in indentured labor on a fishing vessel as Thailand continues its campaign to rebut its downgrade to the lowest tier on the US State Department’s “Trafficking in Persons” report. “We take this issue very seriously,” Lt Col Panya Chaichana of Phuket Marine Police told the…
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Speedboat rescues Phuket captain found floating at sea in life jacket
PHUKET: A boat captain bobbing at sea in a life jacket was rescued by a speedboat 20 minutes after his boat sank near Koh Yao Yai yesterday afternoon. Apichart Lawthong, 51, was the only person on board when the boat, which was carrying construction supplies, foundered in rough seas. “I left Phuket at about 11am, headed to Phi Phi,” Mr…
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Phuket Opinion: It’s up to all of us to save the foolish from Phuket’s rips
PHUKET: A friend and I who were surfing in Kata last year came across two young Phuket natives who had gotten into trouble when they were pulled into deep water. We put them on our boards and swam them in to shore, only to watch one of them fade away in front of our eyes. The sight of the 20-year-old’s…
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Phuket Opinion: Taxing alcohol – a taxing issue
Sean Gabb is Director of the Libertarian Alliance in London and has written on subjects as diverse as gay marriage, handicapped parking and second-hand smoke. From 1991 to 1992, he served as Economic and Political Adviser to the Prime Minister of Slovakia. He is the author of 20 books, including novels and poetry. His new novel, The Break, has been…
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Marine Police ramp up inspections to promote Phuket boat safety
PHUKET: Marine police are in the midst of a blitz on Phuket tourist boats and crew to promote safety over the four-day holiday weekend. “It’s our responsibility to continually check on the boats and strictly enforce regulations to ensure the safety of passengers, especially during the long holidays, when more people are expected to be in Phuket,” said Lt Col…
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Police suspect kickstand played role in fatal Phuket motorbike crash
PHUKET: A helmet-less Myanmar national was killed after losing control of his motorbike on a curve while driving with his kickstand down in Phuket yesterday. When police arrived at the scene on Phra Phuket Kaew Road, they found 27-year-old Phyo Maung Maung’s motorbike, with the kickstand down, on the median and Mr Phyo’s body in a lane of oncoming traffic.…
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Gaza toll passes 100; Israel to counter rockets ‘with all power’
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Gaza toll passes 100; Israel to counter rockets ‘with all power’ Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Ori Lewis PHUKET: An airstrike outside a family home early Saturday pushed the Palestinian death toll past 100 in four days of cross-border fighting as Israel…
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Military silent on ‘cash for clearance’ at Phuket Airport
PHUKET: Navy officers have fallen silent over their investigation into immigration officials at Phuket International Airport who allegedly solicit cash payments from tourists to clear immigration queues. On Wednesday, one of the top-ranking officers who led a Monday raid of the airport declined to reveal to the Phuket Gazette whether or not his officers were continuing their investigation into the…
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B10.3bn allocated to tackle drug abuse
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community B10.3bn allocated to tackle drug abuse The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: With a budget of 10.3 billion baht allocated for the 2014 fiscal year to tackle drug abuse, the Justice Ministry plans to have the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) find addicts who…
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Police warn local officers over taxi mafia revival
PHUKET: The leading police officer who spearheaded the recent purge of Phuket’s illegal taxi mafia has vowed to investigate any local police officers who allow illegal taxi drivers to return to their regular roosts. Maj Gen Paween Pongisirin of Region 8 Police said that he considered any further action against illegal taxi operators a matter to be dealt with by…
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Big snake caught choking the chicken in Phuket
PHUKET: A Phuket resident woke with a start in the middle of the night Tuesday after a python started dining in his chicken coop. “I heard my chickens panicking, so I went to the henhouse to see what was wrong,” Thanarat Manlin told the Phuket Gazette. “I was so shocked when I peeked inside and saw a big python killing…
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Kathu Culture Street Festival kicks off today
PHUKET: The Kathu Culture Street Festival, showcasing the unique blend of cultural heritage of the area, starts today with a parade at 4:00pm. The parade will begin at Kathu Municipality and end at the Kathu Public Health Center, followed by an opening ceremony at 6pm. “The goal of the festival is to encourage locals and tourists to learn more about…
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Phuket house burglar’s rampage comes to abrupt end
PHUKET: Police yesterday snared a serial burglar who confessed to having robbed 12 Phuket residences since mid-June. The 22-year-old Phang Nga native, Raewat Kasirak, was identified by police from many CCTV footage clips recovered from throughout the island, explained Lt Col Somsak Thongkliang of the Phuket City Police. Mr Raewat, who was arrested in front of the Phuket Vocational College…
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Twin Sharks turns turtle, to rejoin regatta racing tomorrow
PHUKET: Hot favorite Twin Sharks, which capsized during practice in strong winds off Phuket yesterday, is expected to begin its campaign in the Firefly Sport 850 class in the Multihull Solutions Regatta tomorrow. The racing catamaran turned turtle in Chalong Bay yesterday afternoon amid strong winds gusting up to 25 knots (story here). Skipper and owner John Newnham and his…
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Pressure on Phuket Governor over Surin Beach ‘failure’
PHUKET: Three Cherng Talay residents who last week filed a petition and a police complaint against Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut over the clearing of Surin Beach returned to Cherng Talay Police Station on Wednesday. The complaint alleged that Governor Maitri had failed to perform his duties as the Governor of Phuket by not clearing all structures from Surin Beach (story…
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Gaza dead reach 78 as Israelis hint at invasion
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Gaza dead reach 78 as Israelis hint at invasion Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: At least 78 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed in Israel’s Gaza offensive, Palestinian officials said on Thursday as militants in the enclave kept up rocket attacks on Tel Aviv,…
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Phuket man found at lake bottom after midday fishing, drinking session
PHUKET: The body of a 65-year-old man was recovered from a lake in Cherng Talay by rescue divers hours after his wife reported him missing. Arwin Norkam went searching for her husband, Don Norkam, at about lunch time this afternoon. At the lake, where he had gone to fish, she found his clothing, shoes, fishing tackle and a bottle of…
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Rio’s Christ to light up Twitter’s World Cup campaign
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World sport selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Rio’s iconic Christ statue will be lit up on the eve of Sunday’s World Cup final in the colours of each of the finalists’ flags with Twitter users to determine which is displayed the longest. Starting on Wednesday, Twitter Inc users around the world can participate by…
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ICC win the first match of the Outrigger T20 League
PHUKET: In the first outrigger 20/20 cricket league match of the season, Island Cricket Club (ICC) played Village Cricket Team in the morning match on the 6th July 2014. Village captain Martin Platts won the toss and elected to Bat. Village opening batsman Divan Mydeen (1) was caught behind early on from the bowling of Arun Virdikar, who struck again…
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Phuket catamaran flips in regatta warm-up
PHUKET: All crew are safe after a Phuket boat flipped in practice this afternoon ahead of the Multihull Solutions Regatta, which starts tomorrow. Twin Sharks, one of the fastest Firefly catamarans in the fleet, flipped in strong winds gusting up to 25 knots on Chalong Bay. The boat owner, John Newnham, and his three crewmen are safely back on shore…
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Nationwide checks continue to find fault with rice stocks
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Nationwide checks continue to find fault with rice stocks The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Inspections reveal that the rice stocks from the controversial pledging scheme have become mired in both quality and quantity problems. An informed source said yesterday that inspections had found that most…
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State rail chief rejects calls for resignation
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community SRT governor rejects calls for resignation The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: State Railway of Thailand (SRT) Governor Prapat Chongsanguan yesterday vowed to stay on as SRT chief, saying his resignation would be deemed an escape from the problems surrounding the railways. “I am begging for…
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Victim of rape on train in 2001 speaks up
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Victim of rape on train in 2001 speaks up The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: A Thai woman lost her bright career, her optimism and her ability to continue living in Thailand after a State Railway of Thailand (SRT) employee raped her on a train 13…
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Phuket beach shops fetched B7mn apiece, B400k a year in rent, say officials
PHUKET: Shops and restaurants torn down by officials at Nai Thon Beach yesterday were bought for as much as 7 million baht apiece and fetched rental fees of up to 400,000 baht a year, officials have revealed. “It is obvious that the people who run these shops are business operators, not local people living day by day,” Sirinath National Park…
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Anger mounts as Germany unearths second U.S. spy suspect
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Anger mounts as Germany unearths second U.S. spy suspect Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: German politicians reacted angrily on Wednesday to news of a suspected U.S. spy in the defence ministry, which came days after the arrest of a German foreign intelligence agency worker as a…
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Argentina beat Dutch in shootout to reach final
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Argentina beat Dutch in shootout to reach final Reuters / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: Argentina’s Sergio Romero saved two penalties in a 4-2 shootout win over the Netherlands to seal their first World Cup final place in 24 years after the first ever goalless semi-final at the…
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